I have been reading a lot of Terry Pratchett of late...and there is a good reason! For I am going to the North American Discworld Convention in Baltimore the first weekend of July, and I will be on two panels! One will be talking about time travel in the Discworld books, with specific reference to Thief of Time and Night Watch, and the second (beautifully appropriate to the conference them of L-space) is a panel on helping YA reading fans of Pratchett find more books to read. And the exciting-est part of that panel is that Tanita Davis and Sheila Ruth are on the panel too (fun!), and we are also being joined by Anne Hoppe, Pratchett's US YA editor.
So what YA books would you recommend to a Pratchett fan? We're looking for books that are exciting, vivid, with memorable characters, lots of fun, and deeply moving....
And in the meantime, I am busily continuing reading every one of Pratchett's books. When I was asked to be part of this last fall, I had read just enough Discworld to say yes please....but that left a lot of books still to be enjoyed.......
And on a completely different note, I have Great Hopes for this Sunday's Middle Grade Science Fiction/Fantasy round-up--I really think I will have a book for every letter of the alphabet! Here are the (very few) letters I'm missing, with a few suggestions if you feel like making my dream of alphabet entirety come true!
N
Update--I have my N!
O
Odd and the Frost Giants, by Neil Gaiman
Oddfellow's Orphanage, by Emily Winfield Martin
The Ogre Downstairs, by Diana Wynne Jones
On the Day I Died: Stories from the Grave, by Candace Fleming
Once Upon the End, by James Riley
The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate
Ordinary Magic, by Caitlen Rubino-Bradway
The Orphanage of Miracles, by Amy Neftzger
V UPDATE--I have my V!
X (I actually have an X on hand, but would be happy to save it for another week!)
Y
The Year of Shadows, by Claire Legrand
You Only Die Twice (The Genius Files), by Dan Gutman
Young Fredle, by Cynthia Voight
You Can't Have My Planet, But Take My Brother Please
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This is so exciting :D You must tell us all about it afterwards! I've never been to a Discworld convention, but now that I'm the UK I keep eyeing the yearly announcements...
ReplyDeleteAs for recommendations, Fly By Night by Frances Hardinge! There was something about it that really reminded me of Pratchett at his best.
I'm actually about to review a "V" book (Verdigris Deep), so hopefully I'll be able to help :P
It is one of the coolest things that has happened to me because of blogging! Now I am trying to decide if I want to wear a costume--I am leaning toward Susan. I have lots of sensible black skirts.
DeleteI agree viz Fly by Night! Heartfelt emotion nestled in almost but not quite over the top fantastical.
And that is good news viz the V--thanks!
Have a really wonderful time at the convention. I wish I could be there but family obligations prohibit it. I always start early MG readers off with the Johnny Maxwell trilogy. They never fall to hook them into reading more Terry Pratchett. I'm sure you know them but just in case there is a nano sized chance you don't here they are:
ReplyDeleteOnly You Can Save Mankind
Johnny and the Dead
Johnny and the Bomb - this was my very first blog post, so you know I have a very soft spot in my heart for Terry Pratchett, which was why I chose it.
I've read Johnny and the Bomb, but need to go read the rest....
DeleteHave a wonderful time at the convention, alas I only have T-Tunnels for you this week. I'll see if I can try and locate something else too.
ReplyDeleteT is good. I can always use a good T.
DeleteSounds like a great convention!
ReplyDeleteLast Sunday I reviewed Odd Duck, but it's not quite a fantasy.. altho the ducks talk... lol.
And sadly that's a graphic novel, which I don't normally count...
DeleteAre the Tiffany Aching books too young to be YA? I'm terrifically fond of them, myself.
ReplyDeleteThe Wee Free Men might or might not count as a W
I've read most of Terry's books. So, I take it you're also recommending non Pratchett books? Then how about Finnikin of the Rock and Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta. Also White Cat by Holly Black.
ReplyDeleteA Discworld convention? Oh, I so want to go! Especially to talk about Night Watch, one of my favorites. :)
ReplyDeleteRecommendations...Gordon Korman's A Semester in the Life of a Garbage Bag, and Helen Cresswell's Bagthorpes series. Both young YA, but hysterically, hilariously funny.
Thank you all for the recommendations! Much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteAnd all of you should seriousy consider popping over to Baltimore--fights in and out of BWI are not as expensive as some....
DeleteThat sounds so fun! I wish I could come.
ReplyDeleteHmm... brainstorming Pratchett-like YA books with a colleague...
John Green books have the funny and meaningful and good characters, but no fantasy.
Libba Bray's Going Bovine is good on all of the appeal factors you mentioned.
My colleague says her teen daughter really liked the Maximum Ride books, and the Beyonders by Brandon Mull.
Darn it, there was that little trilogy with beautifully illustrated books about the brother and sister living in a mansion floating on the wrong side of the moon... but I can't remember the title nor can I find it on my blog.
But Scott Westerfeld's trilogy that starts with Leviathan is good, too.
I hope that helps, and have fun!
Ha! I remembered, and found it, and retagged it on my blog so I can find it next time:
ReplyDeleteLarklight, by Phillip Reeve My review here: http://wp.me/p2yvgS-7y
What a great opportunity! I am trying to think of a book set in Baltimore you would enjoy but can only come up with Laura Lipmann's Baltimore Blues series, which is adult mystery and uneven. Knight's Castle is supposedly set there but I don't recall any landmarks. I have not read it but what about Charm City by Madison Bell?
ReplyDeleteI was all set to send you The Xanadu Adventure which I bought last week but then realized I have not read the prior book in the series, so am sending you Ivan instead.
Thank you for the O! And the hope of an X to come.... Sadly, I was short a Y, but maybe next time.
DeleteAnd I will look out for Charm City--thanks!
Delete